What can I do for you?
June 5, 2008 11:13 AM Subscribe
I'm trying to research the equivalents of the English phrases "What can I do for you?" or "How can I help you?" translated into 10-15 other languages. (So basically, across cultures.)
If you know any specific translations, that would be awesome if you could just leave them as an answer.
But also, if you could point me in the direction of resources to figure this out on my own, too, I would really appreciate it. It can't be a word for word google translation, because it's more of a catch-phrase and I want to get the essence of how that phrase in translated across languages. I'm having a hard time figuring out how exactly to search for this.
If you know any specific translations, that would be awesome if you could just leave them as an answer.
But also, if you could point me in the direction of resources to figure this out on my own, too, I would really appreciate it. It can't be a word for word google translation, because it's more of a catch-phrase and I want to get the essence of how that phrase in translated across languages. I'm having a hard time figuring out how exactly to search for this.
Best answer: In Egyptian ameyya: اي خدمة Ay khedma
You'll hear this phrase constantly as a traveler, so any site that offers a compendium of phrasebooks would be a good place to start.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:20 AM on June 5, 2008
You'll hear this phrase constantly as a traveler, so any site that offers a compendium of phrasebooks would be a good place to start.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:20 AM on June 5, 2008
And, yeah, this is for the shopkeeper. If you went to see a lawyer I'm not sure he would use the same phrasing.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:21 AM on June 5, 2008
posted by Deathalicious at 11:21 AM on June 5, 2008
Response by poster: Yes, it's for a person who would want to be able to greet people from many different countries (in a service industry setting) in their languages. Thanks so far!
posted by visual mechanic at 11:24 AM on June 5, 2008
posted by visual mechanic at 11:24 AM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Comment puis-je vous aider?
French for "how may I help you?"
posted by furtive at 11:44 AM on June 5, 2008
French for "how may I help you?"
posted by furtive at 11:44 AM on June 5, 2008
Yes, it's for a person who would want to be able to greet people from many different countries (in a service industry setting) in their languages. Thanks so far!
Then I would suggest they learn how to say Hello (Good Morning/Good afternoon/Good evening) instead. If they say "How may I help you?" in their native language, the person may believe that they can speak the language. However, a greeting in another language signals a shallow understanding of the language but is still a nice touch.
And in Egyptian, that'd be:
SabaH al'Khair (Good morning)
Masa' al'Khair (Good evening)
Salaam Aleikum would also be appropriate.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2008
Then I would suggest they learn how to say Hello (Good Morning/Good afternoon/Good evening) instead. If they say "How may I help you?" in their native language, the person may believe that they can speak the language. However, a greeting in another language signals a shallow understanding of the language but is still a nice touch.
And in Egyptian, that'd be:
SabaH al'Khair (Good morning)
Masa' al'Khair (Good evening)
Salaam Aleikum would also be appropriate.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2008
I should also note that I'm using the more formal vous, depending on the familiarity, location and age it could be "Comment puis-je t'aider?"
The hyphen is the result of the pronoun being after the verb. The apostrophe is the result of the vowels in two word touching (in this case the "e" in "te" touches the "a" in "aider" and so is replaces by an apostrophe), more commonly known as an elision, which should not be confused with a liaison.
posted by furtive at 11:51 AM on June 5, 2008
The hyphen is the result of the pronoun being after the verb. The apostrophe is the result of the vowels in two word touching (in this case the "e" in "te" touches the "a" in "aider" and so is replaces by an apostrophe), more commonly known as an elision, which should not be confused with a liaison.
posted by furtive at 11:51 AM on June 5, 2008
@liason: in this case the "e" in "te" touches the "a" in "aider"
Wouldn't that be the "u" in "tu"?
And, no expert in the subtleties of vous-voyer vs. tu-toyer, but I would think that the more formal "Puis-je vous aider?" would be used more often than not in a service-industry setting.
posted by johnvaljohn at 12:00 PM on June 5, 2008
Wouldn't that be the "u" in "tu"?
And, no expert in the subtleties of vous-voyer vs. tu-toyer, but I would think that the more formal "Puis-je vous aider?" would be used more often than not in a service-industry setting.
posted by johnvaljohn at 12:00 PM on June 5, 2008
D'oh. Previewed and everything.
@furtive is the appropriate reference.
posted by johnvaljohn at 12:01 PM on June 5, 2008
@furtive is the appropriate reference.
posted by johnvaljohn at 12:01 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Portuguese:
"Posso te ajudar?" ou "Como eu posso te ajudar?" - Literally, "Can I help you?" or "How can I help you?"
"O que eu posso fazer para você?"
"Pois não?"
posted by Zé Pequeno at 12:29 PM on June 5, 2008
"Posso te ajudar?" ou "Como eu posso te ajudar?" - Literally, "Can I help you?" or "How can I help you?"
"O que eu posso fazer para você?"
"Pois não?"
posted by Zé Pequeno at 12:29 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Auf Deutsch: Wie kann ich ihnen helfen?
posted by found missing at 12:30 PM on June 5, 2008
posted by found missing at 12:30 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Spanish:
¿En qué le puedo ayudar? (How may I help you?)
posted by DrGirlfriend at 12:46 PM on June 5, 2008
¿En qué le puedo ayudar? (How may I help you?)
posted by DrGirlfriend at 12:46 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Dutch: "Kan ik u helpen?" or "Waarmee kan ik u van dienst zijn?"
posted by swordfishtrombones at 1:02 PM on June 5, 2008
posted by swordfishtrombones at 1:02 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Chinese: 欢迎光临 (huan ying guang lin), the standard welcome phrase when you walk into a restaurant or chain store.
Chinese shopkeepers don't really say anything when you walk into the shop. I've had 114 phone operators (information line like 411) ask me "有什么事可以帮你?"(you shenme shi keyi bang ni, lit. "Is there anything I can help you with?") but I never hear shopkeepers saying this.
Probably the closest shopkeeper equivalent is simply "要什么?"(yao shenme), literally "What do you want?", although it's not rude at all, as it would be in English.
However, it's common for shopkeepers and taxi drivers to say "慢走"(man zou, go slowly) when you leave.
I provided the transliterations in Pinyin, which isn't pronounced at all like English. I didn't write the tones, either. It's probably best for your friend not to attempt Chinese phrases without learning Pinyin and tones, or being 100% sure the customer is Chinese, for that matter. I was once buying something from an store in Dulles airport, and the clerk said "arigato gozaimasu" to me as I was leaving. He seemed to mean well, but it was still annoying (I'm not Japanese).
posted by pravit at 1:02 PM on June 5, 2008
Chinese shopkeepers don't really say anything when you walk into the shop. I've had 114 phone operators (information line like 411) ask me "有什么事可以帮你?"(you shenme shi keyi bang ni, lit. "Is there anything I can help you with?") but I never hear shopkeepers saying this.
Probably the closest shopkeeper equivalent is simply "要什么?"(yao shenme), literally "What do you want?", although it's not rude at all, as it would be in English.
However, it's common for shopkeepers and taxi drivers to say "慢走"(man zou, go slowly) when you leave.
I provided the transliterations in Pinyin, which isn't pronounced at all like English. I didn't write the tones, either. It's probably best for your friend not to attempt Chinese phrases without learning Pinyin and tones, or being 100% sure the customer is Chinese, for that matter. I was once buying something from an store in Dulles airport, and the clerk said "arigato gozaimasu" to me as I was leaving. He seemed to mean well, but it was still annoying (I'm not Japanese).
posted by pravit at 1:02 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: Greek:
Τι μπορώ να κάνω για εσάς;
Πως μπορώ να σας βοηθήσω;
Btw I second Deathalicious' advice . Both of these phrases don't necessarily map well to other languages. Most people from a non-English speaking country are familiar with the artificial, awkward language of a marketroid translating from English. Native speakers will be able to tell you are trying to impress them but don't really know their language, I know I would be annoyed if someone tried this on me.
posted by ghost of a past number at 1:04 PM on June 5, 2008
Τι μπορώ να κάνω για εσάς;
Πως μπορώ να σας βοηθήσω;
Btw I second Deathalicious' advice . Both of these phrases don't necessarily map well to other languages. Most people from a non-English speaking country are familiar with the artificial, awkward language of a marketroid translating from English. Native speakers will be able to tell you are trying to impress them but don't really know their language, I know I would be annoyed if someone tried this on me.
posted by ghost of a past number at 1:04 PM on June 5, 2008
Response by poster: You don't have to worry about me making a huge cultural faus pax, this is for a screenplay scene where someone shows off their cross-cultural knowledge by saying "What can I do for you" in a number of different languages, to show they are the best choice for a service job.
Thanks so much for the responses so far!
posted by visual mechanic at 1:08 PM on June 5, 2008
Thanks so much for the responses so far!
posted by visual mechanic at 1:08 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: In Hindi/Urdu:
Kyaa main aapkee madhadh kar sakta (fem.: sakti) hoon ?
posted by raheel at 1:45 PM on June 5, 2008
Kyaa main aapkee madhadh kar sakta (fem.: sakti) hoon ?
posted by raheel at 1:45 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: In Italian, this is prego, which is also their equivalent to "you're welcome", as well as the word you use when you're opening a door for someone.
posted by carrienation at 2:00 PM on June 5, 2008
posted by carrienation at 2:00 PM on June 5, 2008
Romanian:
Pot sa va ajut?
"poat sah vah azhoot?"
Can I help you, basically.
posted by jessamyn at 3:57 PM on June 5, 2008
Pot sa va ajut?
"poat sah vah azhoot?"
Can I help you, basically.
posted by jessamyn at 3:57 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: If you're totally stuck for Czech, I do know that "ahoy" is used as a general "hello/goodbye", and "prosim" (pro-seem) is "please/I beg your pardon/here you go," but I can't help beyond that.
posted by Shepherd at 5:28 PM on June 5, 2008
posted by Shepherd at 5:28 PM on June 5, 2008
Best answer: In Japanese:
いらっしゃいませ！ (Irasshyaimase)
"Welcome!" "Come on in!" etc, although you might note that it is used with a much higher frequency, volume, and pitch than the equivalents in the U.S.
posted by Bun at 9:09 PM on June 5, 2008
いらっしゃいませ！ (Irasshyaimase)
"Welcome!" "Come on in!" etc, although you might note that it is used with a much higher frequency, volume, and pitch than the equivalents in the U.S.
posted by Bun at 9:09 PM on June 5, 2008
Irashyai-mase is iMO excellent for the purpose; it's essentially obligatory for the staff to say that to all customers as they come by/into the shop.
This Youtube video isn't the best example, but at 1:24 you can hear the female staffperson say 'irasshaimase~'.
posted by tachikaze at 10:56 PM on June 5, 2008
This Youtube video isn't the best example, but at 1:24 you can hear the female staffperson say 'irasshaimase~'.
posted by tachikaze at 10:56 PM on June 5, 2008
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posted by LobsterMitten at 11:20 AM on June 5, 2008